Test Bank for Human Resource Management 5th Edition by Lussier, Hendon
ISBN: 9781071902950
Human Resource Management (5th)
ISBN 9781071902950 | Chapter 1: Today’s Human Resource Management
Total Questions: 100 Easy
Multiple Choice (27)
Q1. [Multiple Choice]
A ______ center is a division or department within the organization that brings in no revenue or profit for the organization.
a) revenue
b) business
c) cost ✓ correct
d) productivity
Q2. [Multiple Choice]
A(n) ______ center is a revenue center that enhances the profitability of the organization by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the people who work there.
a) productivity ✓ correct
b) cost
c) employee engagement
d) human resource
Q3. [Multiple Choice]
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which of the following workforce changes are expected to occur by 2032?
a) The percentage of White workers will increase.
b) The percentage of Black workers will increase. ✓ correct
c) The percentage of women will decrease.
d) There will be an excess supply of highly skilled workers.
Q4. [Multiple Choice]
In surveys of managers on the topic of managing people, the same five issues frequently come up: productivity, employee engagement and experience, turnover, absenteeism, and ______.
a) quiet quitting ✓ correct
b) inclusion
c) empowerment
d) interpersonal conflict
Q5. [Multiple Choice]
In the past, an organization’s human resource department was considered a(n) ______ center.
a) cost ✓ correct
b) revenue
c) productivity
d) upskilling
Q6. [Multiple Choice]
Knowledge workers are those who ______ to perform their jobs.
a) gather and interpret information ✓ correct
b) specialize in just one or two skills
c) work with objects more than data
d) interact with others face to face
Q7. [Multiple Choice]
Managers can use ______ to create communities where new employees can get questions answered, connect with each other, and become enculturated to the organization.
a) performance reviews
b) benefits policies
c) social media ✓ correct
d) GenAI
Q8. [Multiple Choice]
One of the most critical issues that human resource managers face is the fact that employees are unable to keep up with the pace of ______.
a) changes to HR law
b) demand for their services and knowledge
c) research developments in their fields
d) technology advancement ✓ correct
Q9. [Multiple Choice]
Part I of the practitioner’s model of human resource management focuses on the things that are most critical to the organization’s basic stability and success, and it discusses the need for the ______.
a) creation of an inclusive work environment ✓ correct
b) acquisition of skilled talent
c) management of job performance
d) protection of worker health and safety
Q10. [Multiple Choice]
Part II of the practitioner’s model of human resource management addresses how to build an organization that is sustainable for the long term, and it discusses ______.
a) protecting employees’ health and safety and promoting good organizational citizenship
b) identifying jobs to fill, recruiting candidates, and selecting employees ✓ correct
c) developing employees’ skills, managing their performance, and creating a culture of belonging
d) providing direct and indirect compensation to maintain employee satisfaction
Q11. [Multiple Choice]
The efficiency of human resources refers to how well we up people's available ______.
a) skills
b) time ✓ correct
c) attention
d) energy
Q12. [Multiple Choice]
To figure out novel or innovative solutions to problems that have already been identified, an employee uses ______ skills.
a) technical
b) design ✓ correct
c) conceptual
d) interpersonal
Q13. [Multiple Choice]
What are the two components of productivity that managers are always working to improve?
a) sustainability and upskilling
b) engagement and turnover
c) productivity and revenue
d) effectiveness and efficiency ✓ correct
Q14. [Multiple Choice]
What is the term for the permanent loss of workers from the organization?
a) turnover ✓ correct
b) absenteeism
c) retention
d) quiet quitting
Q15. [Multiple Choice]
Which human resource discipline involves using computers and large databases to analyze patterns in the work environment?
a) strategic planning
b) legal environment
c) training and development
d) people analytics ✓ correct
Q16. [Multiple Choice]
Which is the easiest skill set that a human resource manager must develop first in order to be successful?
a) interpersonal
b) technical ✓ correct
c) conceptual and design
d) business
Q17. [Multiple Choice]
Which is true about knowledge workers?
a) The available number of knowledge workers in all sectors has increased in recent years.
b) Knowledge workers primarily improve their organizations through manual labor.
c) There is a global scarcity of knowledge workers. ✓ correct
d) There are too few knowledge jobs for available knowledge workers.
Q18. [Multiple Choice]
Which is true about the future of the labor force in the United States according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)?
a) There will be a drop in men in the workforce.
b) There will be a large increase in knowledge workers in the workforce.
c) The number of women in the workforce will decrease.
d) The workforce will become increasingly more ethnically and racially diverse. ✓ correct
Q19. [Multiple Choice]
Which most reflects the growing complexity of the HR job?
a) increasing the reports HR is responsible for filing
b) expanding the size of the HR team
c) spending funds on HR technology
d) having the HR manager in the C suite of organizational leadership ✓ correct
Q20. [Multiple Choice]
Which of the following is the largest and most recognized of the human resource management advocacy organizations in the United States?
a) Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) ✓ correct
b) Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI)
c) WorldatWork
d) Association for Talent Development (ATD)
Q21. [Multiple Choice]
Which part of the practitioner’s model of human resource management describes how managers might coach, counsel, and discipline employees once people have been hired into the organization?
a) Part II; Talent Acquisition and Placement
b) Part III: Developing and Managing ✓ correct
c) Part IV: Compensating
d) Part V: Protecting Workers and Expanding Organizational Reach
Q22. [Multiple Choice]
______ is a capability that allows the organization to differentiate its products or services from those of other companies.
a) Productivity
b) Effectiveness
c) Innovation
d) Sustainable competitive advantage ✓ correct
Q23. [Multiple Choice]
______ is a combination of job satisfaction, ability, and a willingness to perform for the organization at a high level and over an extended period of time.
a) Return on investment
b) Employee engagement ✓ correct
c) Sustainability
d) Productivity
Q24. [Multiple Choice]
______ is the amount of output that an organization generates per unit of input.
a) Cost
b) Profit
c) Sustainability
d) Productivity ✓ correct
Q25. [Multiple Choice]
______ skills include the ability to evaluate a situation, identify alternatives, select a reasonable alternative, and make a decision to implement a solution to a problem.
a) Productivity
b) Strategic
c) Technical
d) Conceptual and design ✓ correct
Q26. [Multiple Choice]
______ skills involve the ability to “see the bigger picture” concerning how a department and the overall organization operate.
a) Conceptual ✓ correct
b) Design
c) Technical
d) Business
Q27. [Multiple Choice]
______ skills refer to the ability to understand, communicate, and work well with individuals and groups through developing effective relationships.
a) Technical
b) Interpersonal ✓ correct
c) Conceptual and design
d) Business
True/False (8)
Q28. [True/False]
Companies, but not individual managers, can be liable for human resource related actions.
a) True
b) False ✓ correct
Correct answer: False
Q29. [True/False]
Effectiveness is the amount of output that an organization gets per unit of input, with human input usually expressed in terms of units of time.
a) True
b) False ✓ correct
Correct answer: False
Q30. [True/False]
Employee experience includes all the elements of employee engagement and the totality of positive and negative interactions between the individual and their workplace.
a) True ✓ correct
b) False
Correct answer: True
Q31. [True/False]
In the practitioner’s model of human resource management, part IV (compensating) describes base pay, incentives, and worker benefits as ways to reward and maintain a workforce.
a) True ✓ correct
b) False
Correct answer: True
Q32. [True/False]
People skills tend to be emphasized more in human resource management than they are in other fields.
a) True ✓ correct
b) False
Correct answer: True
Q33. [True/False]
Staff managers create, manage, and maintain the people and organizational processes that create whatever it is that the business sells.
a) True
b) False ✓ correct
Correct answer: False
Q34. [True/False]
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) advocates for employment laws and policies and trains and certifies human resource professionals.
a) True ✓ correct
b) False
Correct answer: True
Q35. [True/False]
There is an abundance of knowledge workers in most labor markets across the globe.
a) True
b) False ✓ correct
Correct answer: False
Medium
Multiple Choice (25)
Q36. [Multiple Choice]
A specialist in the human resource discipline of ______ would most likely seek a job in which they would be responsible for planning how employees are paid, dispensing salary surveys, deciding benefits, and implementing incentive programs.
a) labor and industrial relations
b) compensation and benefits ✓ correct
c) effectiveness and efficiency
d) conceptual and design skills
Q37. [Multiple Choice]
Alejandro wants to make sure that his company is getting work done whenever and however it must be done. He frequently asks, “Did we do the right things?” Alejandro is concerned with ______.
a) efficiency
b) empathy
c) effectiveness ✓ correct
d) engagement
Q38. [Multiple Choice]
At a team meeting, your manager leads a discussion about the critical factors in human resource management that are ______, or those that can be affected only throughindirectmeans.
a) independent variables
b) internal factors
c) dependent variables ✓ correct
d) external factors
Q39. [Multiple Choice]
Caden is putting together a strategic plan, including a budget, that describes how the human resource department will contribute to the profitability of the organization. Caden is using ______ skills to complete this task.
a) technical
b) interpersonal
c) conceptual and design
d) business ✓ correct
Q40. [Multiple Choice]
For organizations across the world, a lack of ______ for increasingly complex jobs is an ongoing problem.
a) knowledge workers ✓ correct
b) technology
c) diversity
d) competition
Q41. [Multiple Choice]
Given the changing demographics of the workforce, managers will need to be more aware of how they can create a(n) ______ work environment.
a) inclusive ✓ correct
b) technologically adaptable
c) environmentally sensitive
d) simplified
Q42. [Multiple Choice]
In a statement in the company’s annual report, the CEO discusses human resources management challenges the company is currently addressing. Which of the following is the CEO most likely to mention?
a) GenAI will affect how most jobs are done. ✓ correct
b) There are only two generational cohorts in the workforce.
c) Employment law is unlikely to change due to broad agreement on public policy.
d) Employee assistance and wellness programs will become less important.
Q43. [Multiple Choice]
In many organizations, most or all employees worked remotely during the COVID pandemic. What must managers in these organizations now make decisions about?
a) how to navigate sensitive diversity, equity, and inclusion issues
b) where to relocate offices to be near employees
c) how to terminate remote employees
d) which employees must come into the office and how often ✓ correct
Q44. [Multiple Choice]
Jazmine is concerned about how many organizational resources are being used at her company to get the work done. She frequently asks, “Did we do things right?” Jazmine is concerned with ______.
a) human resources
b) effectiveness
c) technology
d) efficiency ✓ correct
Q45. [Multiple Choice]
Matteo has been employed at BizBuzz Company for 15 years. He is satisfied with his job and performs it well. In fact, he has been a high performer throughout his career at BizBuzz. Based on this information, Matteo has a high level of ______.
a) strategy
b) empathy
c) engagement ✓ correct
d) inclusion
Q46. [Multiple Choice]
Maxine is listening to a coworker describe a problem with a supervisor. As she listens, Maxine is trying to put herself in her coworker’s situation and understand the real problem between the coworker and supervisor. Maxine is using ______ skills.
a) technical
b) interpersonal ✓ correct
c) conceptual and design
d) business
Q47. [Multiple Choice]
Social media allows employees to receive feedback continuously instead of only at annual or quarterly reviews. Thus, social media has helped make ______ more efficient for organizations.
a) recruiting and selection
b) onboarding
c) training and development
d) performance management ✓ correct
Q48. [Multiple Choice]
The ______ discipline of human resource management includes coaching, counseling, and disciplining the workforce and conflict resolution. It also involves leadership and team building efforts within the organization.
a) training and development
b) interpersonal
c) employee relations ✓ correct
d) technical
Q49. [Multiple Choice]
The present view of the role of HRM is that it ______.
a) is being replaced by technological tools
b) costs too much money for the organization to run
c) has limited use for social media
d) generates monetary returns for the organization ✓ correct
Q50. [Multiple Choice]
Todd specializes in developing workshops and online training opportunities to help employees enhance their skills and competencies. Which of the following certifications would be most relevant to Todd’s human resource management specialty?
a) Certified Professional from the Society of Human Resource Management
b) Professional in Human Resources from the Human Resource Certification Institute
c) Certified Professional in Talent Development from the Association for Talent Development ✓ correct
d) Global Remuneration Professional from WorldatWork
Q51. [Multiple Choice]
Walid is using a cloud based system to organize the documents needed for an upcoming meeting. After the documents are organized, Walid will share the link to access the documents with the meeting participants. Walid is using ______ skills to complete this task.
a) technical ✓ correct
b) interpersonal
c) conceptual and design
d) business
Q52. [Multiple Choice]
When Aditi needed to improve her programming skills, she joined an online group of programmers who shared tips with one another about common programming problems. This is an example of how social media can be used in ______.
a) recruitment and selection
b) onboarding
c) training and development ✓ correct
d) performance management
Q53. [Multiple Choice]
When Javier was first hired at Indie Films, he was assigned to a virtual mentoring group of new employees and managers before his first day of work. The group built an online community that helped Javier learn more about the culture at Indie Films. This is an example of how social media can be used in ______.
a) recruitment and selection
b) onboarding ✓ correct
c) training and development
d) performance management
Q54. [Multiple Choice]
When a human resource professional refers to ______, they are referring to critical factors in HR management that can be affected through direct means.
a) independent variables ✓ correct
b) dependent variables
c) external factors
d) internal factors
Q55. [Multiple Choice]
When a new computer programmer is needed at Happy Holidays Travel Boutique, the human resource manager will often search LinkedIn for candidates. This is an example of how social media can be used in ______.
a) recruitment and selection ✓ correct
b) onboarding
c) training and development
d) performance management
Q56. [Multiple Choice]
When you engage in empathy, you are able to ______.
a) improve your own efficiency
b) see things from another person's perspective ✓ correct
c) improve your own effectiveness
d) see alternative solutions to a problem
Q57. [Multiple Choice]
Which of the following is an action that would most likely be taken by a human resource professional who specializes in talent acquisition?
a) creating online training modules to streamline employee upskilling
b) starting diversity resource programs to promote an inclusive culture
c) attending college fairs to recruit new college graduates ✓ correct
d) working with insurance brokers to design the company health plan
Q58. [Multiple Choice]
Which of the following is the most significant reason why human resource managers need to understand federal and state employment law as well as possible?
a) A knowledge of employment law is helpful in earning certain HR certifications.
b) HR managers can be held individually liable for violations of the law in some cases. ✓ correct
c) A knowledge of employment law is a preferred qualification for some HR jobs.
d) HR managers can use a knowledge of employment law to help their organizations escape liability.
Q59. [Multiple Choice]
______ managers are often the first point of contact for employees when the employees have questions about human resource policies or procedures.
a) Human resource
b) Staff
c) Line ✓ correct
d) Top
Q60. [Multiple Choice]
______, in particular the ability to analyze large data sets and use generative artificial intelligence, has revolutionized standards of efficiency and the way every organization needs to do business.
a) Changing demographics
b) Talent retention
c) Employee engagement
d) Advances in technology ✓ correct
True/False (1)
Q61. [True/False]
A company is most likely to create a sustainable competitive advantage when it develops a technology that is superior to that currently used by its rivals.
a) True
b) False ✓ correct
Correct answer: False
Essay (6)
Q62. [Essay]
Contrast the traditional view of human resource management with the view of HRM today.
Suggested answer: Sample response: The traditional view was that human resource management was a cost center. A cost center uses organizational resources without generating revenue or profit. Today, however, management recognizes the ability of the human resource function to generate revenue, albeit indirectly. Indeed, human resources should function as a productivity center, which is a revenue center that increases revenues and profits by enhancing the productivity of the people within the organization. HRM increases productivity by increasing employee efficiency.
Q63. [Essay]
Describe four of the eight major responsibilities of human resource management professionals and note why each of the four is important.
Suggested answer: Sample response: Four responsibilities of HRM professionals include the legal environment, talent acquisition, training and development, and compensation and benefits. The legal environment includes laws related to EEO and diversity management. This discipline deals with equal opportunity laws and regulations as well as management of a diverse workforce, meaning it is crucial for reducing liabilities and risks to the organization. Talent acquisition manages the processes involved attracting job candidates and selecting those with the right values and skills for the organization and the jobs they’re hired into. An organization requires strong employees to function well, making talent acquisition a key responsibility. After hiring employees, HR managers must engage in training and development. This discipline includes responsibility for employee learning, whether of basic job skills or management competencies. Examples include developing curricula and lesson plans and delivering training. It also involves developing talent within the company so that more senior positions can be filled by current employees. Finally, a specialist in compensation and benefits helps to determine the total rewards package, including such elements as pay, health benefits, and retirement benefits. This is important because the organization uses these elements to attract and retain the employees it needs.
Q64. [Essay]
Describe job satisfaction, employee engagement, and employee experience. How do these concepts differ from each other?
Suggested answer: Sample response: Measurements of job satisfaction have been used historically to understand employees’ intent to engage with the organization, and job satisfaction is a component of employee engagement. However, employee engagement involves more than just feelings about the job. It also measures the employee’s ability and willingness to performance at a high level and over an extended period of time. Employee engagement is a part of employee experience, but employee experience is about more than happiness with and performance in the job. Employee experience encompasses all the interactions a worker has with their workplace, including such dimensions as whether the worker feels a sense of belonging and a sense of purpose, for example.
Q65. [Essay]
Explain why having strategy driven HRM and having a basic understanding of the HR legal environment are the most fundamental pieces of the HRM practitioner’s model.
Suggested answer: Sample response: Human resource functions are expected to be productivity centers for the organization, and understanding strategic HRM and developing business acumen are critical to meeting this expectation. A sound strategy is the foundation for all other human resource management decisions. In addition, understanding the legal environment is important for ensuring that the rights of both the organization and employees are protected and for making sure the organization does not incur legal penalties.
Q66. [Essay]
Human resource managers have consistently faced a number of challenges in recent years. Identify at least three of the major challenges identified in recent surveys of CEOs and CHROs and explain why they are significant.
Suggested answer: Sample response: One major challenge identified in recent surveys is the issue of retaining talent—that is, motivating skilled employees to stay with the organization. If an organization regularly loses its talent, it cannot remain productive. Executives are also aware of the overall shortage of skilled labor. They want the HRM function to hone its talent acquisition strategies to find and select workers with needed skills. Both retaining talent and finding new talent ensure that the organization runs well. A third business need that is on executives’ minds is the need to improve the people management skills of supervisors. Executives know that leadership positions are critical to the success of the organization, and thus they want human resource professionals to assist the organization in strengthening leaders and the pool of employees who could be considered successors for such roles.
Q67. [Essay]
Identify the five critical dependent variables that managers must control to compete as a modern organization. What is the relationship between these variables?
Suggested answer: Sample response: The five critical variables are productivity, employee engagement and experience, turnover, absenteeism, and quiet quitting. Productivity is the amount of output that an organization gets per unit of input. The two parts of productivity are efficiency and effectiveness. Employee engagement is a combination of job satisfaction, ability, and a willingness to perform for the organization at a high level and over an extended period of time. Employee experience is broader than engagement, as it encompasses all the factors that drive engagement as well as the totality of other interactions between the employee and the workplace. Overall, positive employee experience tends to have a positive impact on productivity. Turnover is the permanent loss of workers from the organization. When people quit, the departures are considered voluntary turnover. When the organization fires people, this is involuntary turnover. In either case, the loss of skills and the expense of refilling the job are costs to the organization. Absenteeism is the temporary absence of employees when they are scheduled to work. Unplanned absences can disrupt productivity and represent an unanticipated cost to the organization. Quiet quitting, on the other hand, is when an employee is physically present but is largely disengaged from their tasks and is thus unproductive. In all, managing these five variables can substantially impact an organization’s success.
Hard
Multiple Choice (28)
Q68. [Multiple Choice]
A human resources department is working to create a sustainable competitive advantage for the organization. Which of the following activities is consistent with this goal?
a) providing harassment and bias awareness training to all employees
b) fostering a company culture with low turnover and positive employee experience ✓ correct
c) simplifying jobs so that they are routine and easy to perform
d) enforcing strict policies on absenteeism to ensure full staffing levels
Q69. [Multiple Choice]
Alexandra’s role in the organization involves measuring and evaluating job satisfaction and employee engagement. Alexandra’s human resource management specialty is ______.
a) talent acquisition
b) labor and industrial relations
c) ethics and sustainability
d) employee relations ✓ correct
Q70. [Multiple Choice]
Andrew has confided to his manager that his job performance is suffering because his child is very ill, and he is focused on caring for her. This is an example of ______ impacting employee engagement.
a) a work conflict
b) poor management
c) remote work
d) a nonwork issue ✓ correct
Q71. [Multiple Choice]
Annika, who is a line manager, recommended one of her employees for a senior specialist job based on what she knows of the employee’s capabilities and limitations. Her recommendation is part of the ______ responsibilities of line management.
a) safety and security
b) appraisal and promotion ✓ correct
c) leadership and motivation
d) training and development
Q72. [Multiple Choice]
Antonio’s job involves working on codes of conduct and making sure that if employees become aware of code violations, they can report them. Antonio’s human resource management specialty is ______.
a) safety and security
b) labor and industrial relations
c) employee relations
d) ethics and sustainability ✓ correct
Q73. [Multiple Choice]
As a line manager, Lin is often one of the first people to see when a lack of employee skills is causing a problem with the organization’s manufacturing processes. Resolving the problem is a part of the ______ responsibilities of line management.
a) appraisal and promotion
b) labor cost control
c) leadership and motivation
d) training and development ✓ correct
Q74. [Multiple Choice]
Ashley has noticed that Jared is spending work time on social media platforms, which leads to him getting less work done. She believes that this activity is reducing Jared's ______.
a) skills
b) sense of belonging
c) productivity ✓ correct
d) job satisfaction
Q75. [Multiple Choice]
At DeLuxe Resorts, the human resource department primarily views their purpose as improving employee productivity to enhance the company’s profits. This view of the HR department is consistent with a(n) ______ view of human resource management.
a) current ✓ correct
b) outdated
c) internal
d) traditional
Q76. [Multiple Choice]
At Krafty Karamels Inc., the human resource (HR) department provides certain services to the organization, primarily keeping track of job applicants, maintaining employee paperwork, and filing annual performance evaluations. This HR department’s activity is consistent with the ______ view of human resource management.
a) 21st century
b) traditional ✓ correct
c) productivity
d) technological
Q77. [Multiple Choice]
At the Jumpin’ Jambalaya restaurant chain, the human resource department provides training to help line managers understand how to avoid inadvertently acting in a way that is prohibited when dealing with employees. This training addresses the ______ responsibilities of line management.
a) legal ✓ correct
b) labor cost control
c) leadership and motivation
d) training and development
Q78. [Multiple Choice]
Bernardo wants to improve his workers’ performance and productivity. To learn the best ways to achieve this goal, Bernardo could improve his skills related to the ______ responsibilities of line management.
a) safety and security
b) appraisal and promotion
c) leadership and motivation ✓ correct
d) labor cost control
Q79. [Multiple Choice]
Brett oversees the accounting department at a legal firm. He and his department advise the attorneys on how to complete quarterly reports for their divisions. Brett is a ______ manager.
a) legal
b) human resource
c) staff ✓ correct
d) line
Q80. [Multiple Choice]
Devin is concerned about how their company will continue to recruit employees, given the aging workforce and a shortage of needed skills. Devin is evaluating ______.
a) workforce efficiency
b) human resource costs
c) labor demographics ✓ correct
d) employee engagement
Q81. [Multiple Choice]
Eli’s work involves coordinating management activity in response to union votes, conducting negotiations for collective bargaining agreements , and handling grievances. Eli’s human resource management specialty is ______.
a) the legal environment
b) compensation and benefits
c) labor and industrial relations ✓ correct
d) safety and security
Q82. [Multiple Choice]
Ethan manages the recruiting process. He helps managers select the best candidates from among those who apply and then welcomes the new employees into the organization and their jobs. Ethan’s human resource management specialty is ______.
a) training and development
b) safety and security
c) talent acquisition ✓ correct
d) labor and industrial relations
Q83. [Multiple Choice]
Fatima’s work involves helping employees with stress management and ensuring the workplace is free of hazards. She works with an external vendor to provide an employee assistance program and develops in house programs to promote wellness. Fatima’s human resource management specialty is ______.
a) ethics and sustainability
b) safety and security ✓ correct
c) training and development
d) talent acquisition
Q84. [Multiple Choice]
Francesca has been asked to improve the efficiency of the manufacturing department at Communication Central Inc. She began by evaluating ways to streamline the creation of the company’s new cell phone. After coming up with many options, Francesca decided to give the manufacturing department more autonomy within the organization, believing that this will speed up decision making and product development. Francesca is primarily using which skill set?
a) technical
b) interpersonal
c) conceptual and design ✓ correct
d) business
Q85. [Multiple Choice]
Isabel is responsible for ensuring that employees learn everything from basic job skills to what they need to know to move up in the organization. Isabel’s human resource management specialty is ______.
a) training and development ✓ correct
b) employee and labor relations
c) talent acquisition
d) labor and industrial relations
Q86. [Multiple Choice]
Miguel’s job involves how the organization rewards the people who work for it. He works with salary surveys, health care plan management, and incentive programs. Miguel’s human resource management specialty is ______.
a) employee relations
b) compensation and benefits ✓ correct
c) safety and security
d) ethics and sustainability
Q87. [Multiple Choice]
Morgan, who manages the engineering department, wants to make her department more efficient so she can employ fewer engineers. She is not sure what she is allowed to do to achieve her goals. Morgan should ask the human resource department for help understanding the ______ responsibilities of line management.
a) appraisal and promotion
b) labor cost control ✓ correct
c) leadership and motivation
d) training and development
Q88. [Multiple Choice]
Santana oversees a department of software programmers. She appraises their performance once a year, answers any questions they have, and provides training. What type of manager is Santana?
a) staff
b) line ✓ correct
c) human resource
d) top
Q89. [Multiple Choice]
Serena is struggling to redistribute tasks among the employees in her department because three of her employees called in sick for their shifts today. Serena is responding to ______.
a) absenteeism ✓ correct
b) skill mismatch
c) quiet quitting
d) turnover
Q90. [Multiple Choice]
Sophia manages the organization’s employee related actions to ensure compliance with laws and regulations concerning discrimination as well as organizational affirmative action plans. Sophia’s human resource management specialty is ______.
a) training and development
b) employee relations
c) the legal environment ✓ correct
d) ethics and sustainability
Q91. [Multiple Choice]
Spencer, who is a line manager, ensures that the machines used by his employees are regularly inspected to make sure they do not pose a hazard. His regular monitoring of these machines is part of the ______ responsibilities of line management.
a) legal
b) labor cost control
c) leadership and motivation
d) safety and security ✓ correct
Q92. [Multiple Choice]
The CEO of Beta Testing Company recently decided not to renew the lease of the company’s office space in order to save money. From now on, all employees will work remotely. As the head of human resources plans for this change, what can they assume?
a) Employees will need tools and training to collaborate effectively. ✓ correct
b) Employees will need to be highly monitored to ensure their performance.
c) Employee engagement will no longer be important.
d) Employees will value the same benefits after the change.
Q93. [Multiple Choice]
Which of the following is an example of absenteeism?
a) An employee puts in their two week notice.
b) A manager lacks the number of employees needed to perform the work that needs to be done.
c) An employee fails to show up to the workplace on a day they are scheduled to work. ✓ correct
d) A manager seeks ideas to improve the efficiency of their team.
Q94. [Multiple Choice]
Which of the following is an example of an activity that uses business skills?
a) analyzing a profit and loss statement prior to a board meeting ✓ correct
b) finding a solution to a difficult work efficiency issue
c) advising the CEO on how employment law would apply to proposed job classifications
d) listening intently as an employee talks about a difficult conflict they are having with a coworker
Q95. [Multiple Choice]
Which of the following is an example of strategic HR in action?
a) fielding complaints from employees as they are filed
b) trusting that a line manager's processes are efficient
c) responding to labor shortages when they arise
d) recruiting when there are currently no open positions ✓ correct
True/False (1)
Q96. [True/False]
A car accident that happened on an employee’s commute to work is an example of a non work issue that affects the employee’ work.
a) True ✓ correct
b) False
Correct answer: True
Essay (4)
Q97. [Essay]
Describe the five core dimensions of employee experience according to an IBM study and identify at least three actions that organizational leaders must take to promote positive employee experience.
Suggested answer: Sample response: The IBM study identified the five core dimensions. First is a sense of belonging, or a feeling of being part of a team, group, or organization. Second is a sense of purpose, which means understanding why one’s work matters. Third is a sense of achievement, or a feeling that one is accomplishing something meaningful. Fourth is a sense of happiness—a pleasant feeling arising in and around work. Fifth is vigor, or the presence of energy, enthusiasm, and excitement at work. To promote a positive employee experience, leaders need to create an environment of trust. They can foster supportive coworker relationships, provide meaningful recognition of work, and provide opportunities for employees to receive feedback and grow professionally. Additionally, they need to empower employees and give them a voice in the workplace. Leaders should support employees in achieving work-life balance.
Q98. [Essay]
Describe the four major human resource management skill sets. Include at least one example of each in your description.
Suggested answer: Sample response: The key human resource management skill sets are technical skills, interpersonal skills, conceptual and design skills, and business skills. Technical skills include the ability to use methods and techniques to perform a task. Examples include the ability to apply the laws, rules, and regulations relating to employment and the ability to use an understanding of interviewing techniques to select job candidates. Interpersonal skills provide the ability to understand, communicate, and work well with individuals and groups through developing effective relationships. An example would be using empathy to understand an employee who is describing a problem they are having at work. Conceptual and design skills provide the ability to evaluate a situation, identify alternatives, select an alternative, and implement a solution to the problem. A human resource professional might use conceptual skills to understand the organization’s strategy and how well the HRM function was supporting it, and they would use design skills to develop innovative improvements where needed. Business skills provide analytical and quantitative skills, including the in-depth knowledge of how the business works and of its budgeting and strategic planning processes. For example, a human resource professional might use business skills to determine the impact on costs if the company hired more employees in a certain area, provided existing employees with more training so they could be more efficient, or contracted the work out to a vendor.
Q99. [Essay]
Explain four of the six human resource management responsibilities of the line manager. Give examples of how each may be implemented on the job.
Suggested answer: Sample response: Line managers are required to have knowledge of several topics. One area is legal considerations. Line managers must be familiar with the major employment laws so that they do not accidentally violate them in their daily interactions with their employees. For example, they would need to know law related to mandated work breaks when scheduling employees so they do not violate labor laws. Additionally, they must be aware of labor cost controls. This involves understanding how to manage the costs involved with hiring and maintaining employees and what they are legally and ethically allowed to do to control labor costs. An example of this might be knowing how much overtime employees can safely work and creating a schedule that respects that. The leadership and motivation responsibility involves effectively using motivation techniques to elicit the best possible performance from their team members. One example might be creating a compensation program that rewards employees for performing desired behaviors at work. Training and development is another responsibility of line managers since they are often the first point of contact to determine whether an employee needs or wants training or development. This may be to address immediate organizational goals or to prepare employees for future positions or changes in their current positions. Another responsibility includes appraisal and promotion, where the manager evaluates their subordinates’ work performance and holds performance review discussions. In addition, they are often asked who should be considered for promotions, since their job is to know their people’s capabilities and limitations. Finally, line managers have a primary responsibility for the safety and security of the workers in an organization. They need to be familiar with the laws that deal with occupational safety and health, security procedures to protect people and property from threats, and methods for dealing with hazards when they arise. Q100. [Essay]
If you decide to pursue a career in human resource management, there are several organizations that can help. What are two major organizations you might join to help in your career and why?
Suggested answer: Sample response: The first organization I might consider joining is the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), which is a global organization that conducts research on and advocates for all of the human resource management functions. Joining the SHRM would be beneficial because it provides training and certification for HR professionals. Certifications it offers include the SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP. Another organization that could help me in my career is the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI), which offers highly regarded training and certification for HR professionals. Obtaining certifications like the PHR, and SPHR could help advance my career. Other organizations to consider include the Association for Talent Development (ATD), a global organization that supports professionals who develop the knowledge and skills of employees and WorldatWork, which offers training and certifications for HR professionals in the compensation, benefits, and performance management specialties.